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Team Alternates Spend Olympics
Waiting for Injuries or Illness

By

Jennifer OrdonezStaff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated July 31, 1996 1:08 a.m. ET

ATLANTA -- It's the curse of the understudy: Tom Erikson knows all the lines, he just never gets to play the part. When Bruce Baumgartner, the U.S. entry in the super heavyweight division of freestyle wrestling, takes the mat Thursday, Mr. Erikson -- for the third time -- will watch from the wings. Despite his ranking as one of the world's 10 best wrestlers, despite his standing as one of the top two heavyweights in the U.S., Mr. Erikson, 32 years old, has never been an Olympian. Rather, he holds that most dubious of Olympic distinctions: team alternate.